Figure toy.



B. A. BEAL & T. G. GRAY.

Patented Aug. 31, 1909;

Burton Again Cir UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BURTON A. BEAL AND TOM G. GRAY, 0F NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA.

FIGURE ,TOY

Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 448,990.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, BURTON A. BEAL and T on G. GRAY, citizens of the United States, residing at Newport News, in the county of Warwick and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Figure Toys, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the class of games and toys and more particularly to figure toys, and has for an object to provide a dancing figure which may be conveniently operated to produce various movements of the figure which will be amusing and entertaining.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of the described character which will be strong and durable, inexpensive to manufacture and which will be attractive in appearance.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and it will be understood that changes in the specific structure shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

in the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals 0 reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure l is a side elevational View of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the same, Fig. 3 is a detail of the joint of one of the hands, Fig. & is a rear view of the figure, Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view through a portion of the body of the figure and a portion of the head.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown a figure toy comprising a base board 11 having a vertically disposed enlarged portion 12 at one end thereof. The upper face of the enlarged portion adjacent to its forward or inner end is beveled in a downward direction as shown at 13. A spring board It extends normally in parallel relation to the base member and is extended beyond the forward end of the base member. The spring board is disposed upon the enlarged portion 12 of the base member, the spring board being thus spaced adjacent to its inner end from the beveled portion 13 to allow the board a vibratory movement. A securing block 16 is disposed above the portion of the spring board and is secured to the portion 15 and to the base member. The block 16, at its forward end, is beveled upon its under side as shown at 17 and is thus arranged to allow an upward movement of the spring board let. The spring board 1d, has its outer edge rounded, and upon the underside, at the outer end thereof a depending rib 18 is provided which serves as a weight. A metal flange 19 is secured to the outer edge of the spring board to represent the footlights of a theater stage.

A metallic U-shaped member is carried by the securing block 16 and comprises the depending leg members 21 which are bent at their lower ends to provide securing ears which are perforated to receive the fastening screws 22 engaged in the block 16. The legs 21 are connected by a bight 23 which is depressed and offset in a forward direction and serves as a saddle. A curved and forwardly inclined spring rod 2% is secured within the rear end of the block 16, the portion 15 and the base member 12 as shown and is bowed as shown at 26 to rest in the saddle-forming offset portion of the bight, being soldered or otherwise connected thereto. From the bight 23 the spring rod is extended forwardly at an angle, and at its upper end is provided with a hook 28.

The hook 28 supports the end 29 of a helical spring 30 which has formed at its lower end a ring 31 similar to the ring 29 and which is connected to a ring 32 carried by an arcuate metallic hanger having a forked lower portion 3 1 the ends of which are directed forwardly and engaged in the body 35 of a figure 36.

The body 35 is recessed vertically through the neck as at 37, registering openings 38 being formed adjacent the top of the neck. The recess 37 receives loosely a depending flattened neck 38 of a head 39, provided with an oppositely flared passage 10. The passage and openings 38 receive a pin 4C1 body and arranged for movement in various directions. The head 39 of the figure is quite large and in order to hold the same in an upright position upon the pin -10, the neck is secured to a metal counterpoise or weight 10, as shown in Fig. 5. The body is provided with arms 42 and d3 respectively, the arm t2 being disposed substantially in a horizontal plane and forked at its outer end as shown at L4; to receive the flattened portion d5 of a hand d6. The hand 46 is pivoted to the arm by means of a pin L7, and is Patented Aug. 31, 1909.

whereby the head is loosely connected to the thus arranged for movement in a direction transversely of the body. The arm 43 from the shoulder down to the elbow is directed downwardly, and from the elbow the remaining portion of the arm is directed upwardly as shown at 48, the hand thereof supporting the neck of aminiature musical instrument 49 which, as shown, is in the form of a violin, and the hand A6 is provided with a bow 50 which is thus arranged for oscillating movement across the strings of the violin when the figure is moved.

The body is provided with jointed legs 51 and 52 respectively, having feet resting lightly on the outer portion of the board 14. A plurality of buttons 53 are carried by the spring board lt and are located preferably adjacent to the forward end of the block 16 and are arranged in spaced relation to each other, as shown.

In operation the fingers of the hand of the operator are engaged with the buttons by tapping the same to produce vibratory movement of the spring board lt, and by the yieldable suspension of the figure with its articulated head and limbs, it will be readily understood that numerous movements by the figure may be induced, accompanied by a movement of one of its hands to manipulate the musical instrument carried by the other of its hands.

\Vhat is claimed is 1. In a toy of the class described, the com bination of a base board having an enlargement, the upper face of which has a beveled portion sloping toward the center of said base, a spring board secured at one end of said beveled enlargement and extending parallel to said base board and beyond the forward end of said base board, a weight carried at the forward end of said spring board, a curved and forwardly inclined spring rod extending from the rear end of sald spring board, a coil spring carried at the end of said rod, a figure having a body and a counter balanced head articulated to said body, limbs pivotally secured to said body and a curved hanger extending upward from the body of said figure and being secured to said coil spring.

2. In a toy of the class described, the combination with a base board having an enlargement, the upper face of which has a bevel portion sloping toward the center of said base, a spring board secured at one end to said beveled enlargement extending parallel to said base board and beyond the forward end of the same, a securing block having a beveled underface held to said spring board, a curved and forwardly inclined spring rod extending from said .securing block, a coil spring carried at the end of said rod, a figure having a body and a counter balanced head articulated to said body, limbs pivotally secured to said body, and a curved hanger extending upward from the body of said figure and being secured to said coil spring. 1

I11 testimony whereof we afiix our signatures, in presence of two witnesses.

BURTON A. REAL. TOM G. GRAY. 'Witnesses:

T. A. FOWLER, CHAS. WV. MUGLER. 

